perky

Look out for our latest launch to hit the shelves - Percol's Perk Up! The two-strong range of luxury coffees have added guarana for a natural lift, which our packaging reflects with an explosion of colour...

flip flop

If - like some of us in the studio - you're less of a hit in the kitchen but still want to get involved in Pancake Day this year, then look out for our newly redesigned Green's Pancake Mixes, in all good convenience stores now!

have you seen this man?

Homepride’s Flour Grader Fred has been sighted on Facebook and Twitter recently… doing the rounds promoting both the new Homepride Flour packs (designed by yours truly)and the Wallace & Gromit Children’s Foundation’s BIGBake fundraising event (of which Homepride Flour is a supporter).

after and before

whip it!

And the next project that has recently come to fruition is... Orley Whip. Although the name might not be familiar, it's an iconic cream/dessert topping brand in its South African homeland. The two-strong range has been modernised and brought bang up to date, initiated by a move from a messy individual sachet format to a much more convenient pouring bottle.

Orley has also made a foray into the foodservice market, with the use of an on pack endorsement from Kerrymaid. Cream of the crop eh?!

arabian delights

Apologies for the radio silence over the summer. But, we've been hard at work on lots of projects that are now coming to fruition.

First up is Bis*Bas, a new range of very delicious Middle Eastern sauces. They can be used in any number of ways, as cooking sauces, dips, relishes, straight from the jar on a spoon...

They're made by the lovely sisters-in-law Muna and Muna (cook and entrepreneur respectively), inspired by authentic recipes that have passed down through generations. We heartily recommend that you look out for the distinctive jars, they're a great way to pep up any meal. Yum!

splash screen

Watch out for the new - and first ever - Brecon Carreg water TV ad, coming to a small screen near you (as reported in The Grocer this week): 

brand new brecon

We've recently redesigned the packaging for our bottled water client Brecon Carreg. The updated design takes inspiration from the small team that produce the water in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons - the heart of Wales. Nik came into the studio earlier this week with a proud grin, having unexpectedly spotted the multipacks in store (see below)!

adventures in coffee

To help celebrate coffee brand Percol's 25th anniversary, we recently redesigned its ground coffee range (see pics), giving the packs the stand out on shelf they deserve.

The idea behind the brand is 'Adventures in Coffee' and we reckon the new packaging reflects this while clearly differentiating the wide range of variants...

hot off the {apple} press

Here's a sneak peek at some of our latest work in Scandinavia. Quite literally hot off the press and into Stockholm's coolest bars, Gravendal cider's new design rolls out in Sweden over the next few months. Check our main site for the full Gravendal story soon.

launch pad

Over the past year or so, we've been putting together 'launch books' whenever a project is completed. They're printed as A5 booklets, and now make quite a good collection, with each one showcasing a different brand issue or brief. We do have some spares, so if any readers would like to receive one relevant to them, email info@wonderlandwpa.com or leave a comment.

lighten up

Some of our latest Swedish work - for retail giant Axfood - is being rolled out this/next week. We've designed the packaging and instore communications for a new range of low energy lightbulbs. Ever heard of a lumen? Well, it's what the light output of these bulbs is measured in (rather than watts) so a big part of the challenge was to educate the consumer and take any confusion out of the equation. The bulbs are both energy and money saving in the long run, so pretty good all round!

And here they are in situ...

lunch break

One of our newest clients is Planet Organic - the UK's largest certified organic supermarket. We've been working on the branding for their new Food To Go range of salads, sandwiches and bakery foods, which are launching imminently under the name "Filling Station".

Planet Organic caters for all sorts of dietary needs, from dairy, wheat & gluten free, to vegetarian and vegan, to nutritious superfoods, and our packaging clearly highlights the dietary benefits of the range.

We used a combination of typographic and graphic elements for an upbeat, urban feel that adds a confident and relaxed dimension to the existing Planet Organic branding. Watch this space for further applications of the design onto bags, napkins and more, as well as an extension into other foods later this year.

high fliers

We have recently been working with the BDFA (British Disabled Flying Association) on their identity, logo and website. While the latter is still a work in progress, the brand new logo and identity can be seen below and read about from their point of view in the new issue of their magazine (click here to download the Chief Executive's article).

the best taste under the sun

Last year we stumbled across Southern Alps at a health food shop while replenishing our muesli supplies for the Colourmakers House kitchen. We were immediately taken with this growing Kent-based company that started life in 2001 as homemade fruit snacks and muesli for entrepreneur Lotte Garner's family. Studio consensus was that it was the best-tasting granola we'd eaten in a long time - not to mention its ethical and sustainability credentials. But we also thought that the brand's identity and packaging wasn't living up to all this.

So we got in touch with Lotte and it turned out that retailers and customers were thinking the same thing. People also found the large number of muesli and granola variants really confusing (bit of a problem for a brand hoping to grow).

Fast-forward six months and the newly designed and streamlined muesli and granola range is shipping to retailers this week, along with a new positioning, tag line, brand identity, website, sales presenters and newsletters.

So how did we get here? Our starting point was simple - Southern Alps' unique Slow Dried Fruit process. They use the very best fresh fruit, dried with warm air and nothing else to retain maximum flavour, nutrition and goodness. Sugar and preservatives are never used, and the resulting fruit really does have the best taste under the sun!

We also took inspiration for the brand's personality from Lotte herself. She's one of the most unforgettably quirky, seriously intelligent and unapologetically passionate people we've come across. And because this is a brand packed with meaning and provenance, we had to tell some of its great stories, so the back of pack features little anecdotes. Take the Slow-Dried Pineapple for instance, which is produced by farming groups in Southern Uganda. The pineapple is grown in naturally fertile soils, picked when fully ripe and then dried immediately to capture its wonderful natural sweetness. The solar drying method used minimises the impact on the environment and by drying the pineapple in Uganda, just 1kg of dried pineapple is shipped for every 15kg of fresh pineapple harvested, reducing the environmental impact of its transportation.

Now for the burning question: is the new design working? Well, there's been a phenomenal response from the trade - every single retailer has been very positive about the new look and the brand has got listings in Ireland for the first time. We'll keep you posted on how the story develops, and will share our work on the rest of the Southern Alps range as and when it happens.

coffee break

We've recently completed a big project redesigning the full range of packaging for our Swedish client Löfbergs Lila, one of the biggest coffee roasters in the Nordic region. Using the proposition 'Extraordinary Expertise', we married the professionalism and passion of family-owned brand, and communicated its unique and distinctive personality.

The resulting packs see the humble coffee cup transformed with flamboyant decorations which hold the values of the brand and increase variant differentiation across the range. The back of pack is also used to communicate 'Extraordinary Expertise' with an eclectic collection of coffee stories, tips and images from the Löfbergs Lila archive.

girls' night out

For the past few months we've been working on a very exciting new brand called Carnaby Brown - a brand new sparkling fruit wine created by entrepreneur Aisling Young and designed by our studio (led by Jessica, our appropriately girly senior designer). With the drink's launch now underway (using various initiatives from social networking to on-trade promotions) we want to use our blog to capture the brand's progress and some of its marketing, so to get things going may we introduce you to Carnaby Brown...


Twelve months ago Aisling (an experienced drinks marketer) identified a gap in the market for a drink that would celebrate the unique relationships between women, and the importance they place on friendship and sharing experiences. She asked us to help her created a new brand aimed at women, and - excited by the opportunity to develop a new brand and indeed a new category - we agreed to a long-term commercial partnership.

Since then, our team has been involved in all aspects of the brand's development. We work with lots of different brands, but never in a way that gives us such brutal insight into every element from conception to launch. This included both the usual stuff - identifying variants and bottle shapes, agreeing brand propositions, consumer insights and research - and the more unusual issues such as the manufacturing process, distribution agreements and the use of social and guerilla marketing. Oh, and lots of tasting, of course!

Carnaby Brown is a 5.5% abv, deliciously fruity and refreshing drink, that's rounded off with a gentle sparkle. It's directly inspired by the women it has been created for: twenty-somethings who want an ideal drink to get things going - whether getting ready for a night out with friends, meeting up after work or having a relaxed afternoon drink at the weekend. Made to an exclusive recipe in White and Rosé variants, it's a unique and sophisticated blend of perry, white and muscat grapes with the sessionability of premium beer or cider and -served in an elegant 75cl Bordeaux-style bottle - the sociability of wine too.

Our pack design balances a retro/heritage look with feminine elegance, evoking the best and most stylish of London. It captures the essence of a girls' night while steering clear of the market default of overtly girly pink floral designs.

As well as the product and design, another differentiator for the brand is its innovative advocacy marketing programme, working with social media and regional brand ambassadors who have been recruited based on their suitability as 'Carnaby Girls', and who personally spread the word about Carnaby Brown. Bearing in mind how girls love to gossip, what could be better than a bit of word of mouth?!

So now you're familiar with Carnaby Brown, we'll be keeping you posted on its progress... just watch this space!

elevenses

This week, we've found ourselves surrounded by boxes of biscuits and sneakily-opened half-eaten packets on every surface. This is thanks to the recent launches of two of our projects for Jacob Fruitfield Group in Ireland.

The first is Jacobs4kids - a brand new range of four different children's biscuits, each with individual identities designed around the theme of 'kids' fun and adventure'. The strong and interactive packaging is designed to appeal to kids while reassuring parents with the all natural ingredients.

The second is the redesign of one of Ireland's most iconic biscuit ranges - a 'bonkers family' made up of Kimberley, Mikado and Coconut Creams. Our challenge was to bring the 100-year-old range up to date without losing any of its quirkiness. The mallowy typography is set on individual backgrounds that highlight the personality of each member - the feminine Mikado, playful Coconut Creams and more masculine Kimberley.

New and old alike, both ranges have certainly won some fans in these parts, now if only they were available in our local Tesco!

kaffe culture

At the end of last year we were working on an unusual project for Swedish retailer 7-Eleven, which is just coming to fruition now so we thought we'd share it here...

The brief was to create a coffee thermo-mug, co-branded Shell and 7-Eleven, which would meet practical considerations (spill-proof, fits a car cup holder, insulated etc.), while being desirable to Scandinavian consumers.

While in the UK thermo-mugs are just starting to catch on (for example Starbucks' version), in Scandinavia many people have and use them, but the available models tend to be lacking in the style department.

So, we designed a premium-yet-playful mug that tells a story about the role coffee plays in the consumer's daily life (from the morning commute to refuelling later in the afternoon), hence the personal "my mug" name.

We were then asked to create the launch campaign material, which flowed on naturally from the mug design, picking up on key elements and using them on loyalty cards, posters and more. So next time you're in Sweden and feeling thirsty...

bringing home the bacon

A proud moment for wonderland, as our new identity and packaging for Kerry Foods' heartland brand Denny has just launched in Ireland.

The Denny range includes sausages, bacon, sliced cooked hams and savoury pies, and the big idea across all of these was about 'Making Simple Food Special', communicated through the 'Taste of Home' message. We used a flagpole brand identity that anchors the brand, and a twinkle of sunlight through the D of Denny which draws the eye to the brand name and offers great strength on shelf. The product is shot naturally in a real home setting.

Our Creative Director Nik explains, "Any heartland brand needs a strong idea and a clear product architecture. ''Taste of Home' is the idea that has been brought to life in a warm and natural style on pack. The identity has been strengthened to create a simple yet strong icon for the brand giving consistency across the ranges and maximising standout on shelf."

bp birthday

BP is an amazing 100 years old this year, and to celebrate this momentous birthday the company published a commemorative volume last month. The book - written/edited by BP's Centenary Project team and designed/produced by us - tells BP's unique company history using images from a vast archive of over 259,000 photos and ephemera.

According to our director Peter Walker, "at times it felt like we were producing a storyboard for a feature documentary. The hardest part was editing down a selection from so many captivating images." The book has multinational distribution through BP's global organisation.